Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-04-07

W y -
alias "Bismarek.n The substantial facts
OF his testimony wete given in his con
fesSion last October, and are famil-
lar to the public. but there was
great curiosity to see the man,
| hear the details Of the fearful tragedy from
his lips. and note the manner OF telling il.
Everything about him and his peculiar
style OF narration tended to give force to
his evidence. He testified positively to see
ing Arensdorf fire the shot that killed
Haddock.
Koschnitzy proved to be the most dan
cerous witness for the defense yet called.
] The position Of the assassin when he fired
The shot, as told by "Bismark, CORE
sponils with other testimony already sub
mitted, but he described with horrifyins
| illustration the face and expression oil the
minister as the ball penetrated the neck.
After "Bismarck'sn testimony, Billy Doer-
sam was called and substantiated some oil
the mino points OF Leavitt's story. he
was shown and identified the pants he wore
at the time, and said he had pm a straw
hat. Mary Ryan, vile Of Jack Ryan, gave
corroboratiye testimony as to incidental
matters involved in her husbands and
Leayitt's testimony.
Mrs. Haddock. on reaching the courtroom
was visibly affected, and was given a seat
near the judges desk. She bore up with
Iortitude until the narration of the details
| OF the tragedy were given by the witnesses,
when she broke down with audible sobs
and groans. During the afternoon she
tainted and WAS carried hom the room
moaning and weeping. The lldy was dress.
ed in deep mourning. Though a woman OF
rare strength OF nerve and mind she was
not equal Co the trial OF her powers.
On the 3ist, Minnie koschnitski, aged
twelve. daughter oil Bismarck was all
ed. The artless and straightforward story
proved to be the most sensational feature
OF the trial thus far. She is a black-eyed,
| p~leasant-faced little girl, whose manner
was that of truthialness and knowledge
of what she was saying. She gave a
detailed account OF conversations between
Arensdorf and her mother in regard to the
purchase OF her mother's house by Arens-
dorf, and OF money furnished by him to
| send the family to San Francisco. The
cross-examination failed to shake the force
of the girls artless story in the least; the
defense ~endeavoring to show that she
had been coached by the attorneys Tor the
state. Counsel asked il she had talked
with Mr.. 0iConnell. She replied: Yes,
and he told me what to say. He old me
to tell the truth"
The defense in the afternoon began by
attacking the character OF the principal wit
nasses for the state -Bismark and the
Leavitts. Officers Smith and Bridewell,
who were ON the police force Aug. ., said
they saw Bismarck on that night about
11:30 p. m, after the shooting. He was in.
toxicated and couldn't walk straight.
AdoIph Metz and William Metz This father
swoTe that Bismarck came on their porch
! that night about IL O'Clock and wanted
to get in. he was drunk and slept out on
the porch an hour or two. Mrs. Metz con-
firmed their statements, Henry Rice
swore he called to see Bismarck on
Sunday, August ], to get him TO work
for him. Bismarck refused to work
for So per day and said he and
George Treiber were going to do
up preachers and lawyers; there was more
money in it. William Dalbson, being
sworn, said that on the night of the shoot
ing he told Mrs. Beavitt OF il. She said,
'Goodm IN glad the - - is kill
cd.'' He also narrated the trading of bats
by Leavitt on the night of the shooting. His
wife didn't want him to wear the straw
hat after that. Matt Franciscus was next
called.
He lives near the city. and was formerly
in the saloon business. He said he knew
Bismark, and his character is bad; knew
MIR. Leavitt; talked with him Aug. 3.
Leavitt said: These s~aloonkeepers want
to whip the preachers; I'm in favor of kill
ing the DID -"
In the trial of Arensdort, on Friday,
l DlHllaEh tHdTltltf WIZ u iItdNltu dllb
an effort made to make out an alibi Tor
Arensdorf, and to connect Leavitt with
the shooting. Jailer Cruickshank, descrid-
ing Leayitt's visit to "Bismark" in jail,
| quoted Leavitt as saying: You saw
John Arnesdorf shoot as we'll as
me. Yes, SIR Bismarck replied. d.
c. Barnes, in his testimony, said he knew
Bismarek's character TO be bad. On the
night of the murder he saw him in front OF
/ a.. fFaI,,,hs. hHa0A .ul thANrUhf thn- ha
was sober at the time. Adolph knep-
pr was a neighbor OF Bismarck's
at the time OF the murder. He
bought the house through John Arens-
dorf. lie was his agent; paid $500 Tor IL.
He gave ArensdOrf $3.50 to pay for it. He
was not on good terms with Bismarck's
wife and hat is the reason no had Arens-
dorI buy i. for him.. He paid off one lien
on the house of $40. Ten dollars was
due for the rent of the grounds.
John Martin, who runs n club room,
called the Red Light said hat
Leayitt had talked with him on the day
of the murder and said; These fellows
nave 70 nerve they ought to do up some
of them. You watch rae and | will do them
up" Before keeping the Red Light" he
did business over Junk's saloon. When
questioned il he kept a gambling house at
either place he refused to answer on the
ground that he would eliminate himself.
On Saturday. the effort OF the defense
was to Hasten the crime upon Leavitt. The
first witness called was William Scott a
waiter at Shepherds restaurant, who
served supper to Arnsdori and Barnes at
about 10 O'Clock on the night OF the trag-
edy. He didn't see them later than 1915.
g. NJ. Schmidt testified that he saw the
flash and the man who fired the shot; he
had on a straw hat, a rubber coat and light
pants: he ran up Water street; knew Arms
dori and was positiveit was not he; thought
from his build and general appearance it
was Leavitt; the electric light was brightly
burning.
Six OF the representative business men OF
the city testified to John Arensdorfs good
moral character. Henry A. Lyon tetiied
to knowing Arensdorf eight or ten years. a
Went to the scene OF the murder soon aft
err it occurred; went into the crowd and
saw Haddock; weht to where the cane lay;
when | came pack to the sidewalk. John
Arensdorf was coming west on Fourth
street, and | met him just at the corner
where Haddoek lay. ! spoke to him; after
speaking to me he went west toward the
brewery.